PhytoGen cotton variety tops Mid-South

Deltapine cottonseed was the most planted brand of upland cotton in the United States in 2009, according to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.

Deltapine brand varieties accounted for about 39.32 percent of U.S. acreage, including 74.5 percent of acreage planted in the Southeast, 41.8 percent of acreage planted in the Mid-South, 21 percent in the Southwest and 49.1 percent in the West.

Bayer CropScience FiberMax brand varieties were the second most popular planted in 2009, accounting for about 34.5 percent of U.S. acreage. These varieties accounted for 1.7 percent of the acreage planted in the Southeast, 1.3 percent in the Mid-South, 65 percent in the Southwest and 14.7 percent in the West.

Bayer CropScience Stoneville brand varieties were the third most popular planted in 2009, accounting for about 11.5 percent of the acreage planted. They accounted for 8.4 percent of the acreage planted in the Southeast, 38.1 percent of the acreage in the Mid-South, 1.7 percent in the Southwest and 15.6 percent in the West.

The most popular Stoneville varieties were ST 4554 B2RF, ST 5458 B2F, and ST 4498 B2RF, accounting respectively for 3.9, 2.8, and 2.4 percent of the U.S. acreage planted to upland cotton.

PhytoGen brand varieties were the fourth most popular planted in 2009, accounting for about 7.2 percent of U.S. acreage. They accounted for 11.6 percent of the acreage planted in the Southeast, 15.8 percent of the acreage in the Mid-South, less than 1 percent in the Southwest and 19.3 percent in the West.

The most popular PhytoGen brand varieties were PHY 375 WRF and PHY 485 WRF, accounting respectively for about 4.6 and 0.9 percent of U.S. acreage planted to upland cotton.

Americot brand varieties were the next most popular and accounted for about 3.2 percent of the U.S. acreage planted in 2009.

All-Tex brand varieties were the next most popular and accounted for about 1.4 percent of U.S. acreage planted in 2009.

Dyna-Gro varieties were the seventh most popular and accounted for about 1.2 percent of 2009 cotton acreage.

In the Mid-South, PhytoGen’s 375 WRF edged out two Stoneville varieties for dominance.

Thanks to a good showing in Tennessee, where 41.3 percent of cotton acreage was planted to the variety, PHY 375 WRF staked out a 12.97 percent share, followed by ST 4554B2RF, 12.82 percent, and ST 5458 B2F, at 10.8 percent.

The most popular variety planted in the Southeast in 2009 was DP 555 BG/RR, at 58.28 percent, followed by PHY 375 WRF, 6.47 percent, and DP 0935 B2RF, 4.68 percent.

PhytoGen was the most popular brand of American Pima varieties planted in 2009. PhytoGen variety PHY 800 Pima accounted for 40.1 percent of U.S. Pima acreage and was the most popular variety planted in California (44.3 percent of California Pima acreage).

Deltapine’s DP 340 Pima was the second most planted American Pima variety and accounted for 24.2 percent of the U.S. crop. PhytoGen’s PHY 830 Pima was the next most popular variety and accounted for 17.9 percent of U.S. Pima acreage.

Transgenic varieties — genetically engineered varieties resistant to worms, herbicides, or both — accounted for about 94.8 percent of the upland cotton planted in the United States in 2009. Transgenic varieties in 2009 varied from a high of 100 percent in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and South Carolina to a low of 89.1 percent in California.

Other states planted from 96 percent to 99 percent transgenic except for Texas (90.4 percent).

Estimates of the percentage of the various varieties of cotton planted in the United States for 2009 were based on informal surveys made by the Cotton Program Classing Offices. Those surveyed included ginners, seed dealers, extension agents, and other knowledgeable sources.